Vacuum tank



July 10, 192. 1,676,767

E. G. BURNS VACUUM TANK Filed May 9, 1927 .2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Elmer iflw a",

BY Mm.

ATTORNEY July 10, 1928.

E. G. BURNS VACUUM TANK Filed May 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Zhzer ffizwizs.

' ATTORNEY Patented July 10, 1928 UNITED STATES v a 1575,767 PATENT orrics.

ELMER G. BURNS, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VACUUM TANK.

Application filed May 9, 1927] Serial no-1sa944.

for actuating the suction and air valves through the medium. of. the float in such manner that closing and opening of the valves in the proper sequence is effected with a degree of positiveness as to insure fluld tight seating and to prevent sticking of either valve in closed position.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a vacuum tank constructed to perm t of its direct association with and'mounting on a conventional form of carbureter to eliminate the separate and remote mountings and the necessary connections as now required with present vacuum tanks.

I will describe only one form of vacuum tank embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in.

claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 and 2 are views showing a vertical section one form of vacuum tank embodying my invention and illustrating the two extreme positions which the movable parts thereof occupy during the operation of the tank; 7 e

Figure 3 is a View showing in top plan and partly in section the vacuum tank shown in the preceding views; t c Figure 4 1s a view showing the vacuum tank in side elevation with portions thereof broken away to reveal parts not otherwise disclosed.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my.

invention in its present embodiment, comprises a receptacle or tank 15 providedwith a cover 16 closing the upper open end of the receptacle, the receptacle being provided in teriorly with an arcuate partition 17 dividing the receptacle into a float chamber 18 and a reservoir chamber 19. The partition l? is provided with a depending extension 20 having a port 21 through which the passage of gasoline or other liquid fuel from the chamber 18 to the chamber 19 is controlled by a flappervalve 22. This valve is accessible through an opening normally closed by a screw plug23 having a tongue 24L positioned to function as a stop in defining the open po-. sition of the valve.

As illustrated to advantage in Figuresil and 4t, the/receptacle is provided with an ex tension or arm 25 which is tubular and in communication with the reservoir chamber 19. This arm extend laterally from the receptacle adjacent the bottom thereof and at its outer endis provided with a vertical or transverse opening26 designedto'receive the usual depending tubular eXtension Q/T of any conventional carbureter, as well, as the usual screw plug 28. As the extension 27 is formed with openinga the extension 25 being tubular provides communication be tween the mixing chamber of the carburetor and the reservoir chamberof the receptacle in order to-permit the feeding of gasoline from the vacuum tank to the carbure'ter. This construction provides simple and effective means by which the vacuum tank as a unit can be directly attached to. and sup ported on. the conventional carbureter in" contradistinction tothe provision of a sepa rate mounting for the vacuum tank andat a point remote with respect to the carbureter, l

as isnow the practice. I

The cover 16 is constructed to provide a port 29 adapted forconnection to the usual gasoline line by which, gasoline from the supply tank is conducted to the'vacuum tank. At the inner end of this. port is arranged a plate 30 for the purpose of deflecting the gasoline entering the float chamber against one wall thereof and in a manner to prevent the gasoline from being discharged directly onto the float and thus interfering with the proper operationof the latter. The cover is also constructed to provide a duct 31 adapted for connection to the intakemanifold of an internal combustion engine through the usual pipe (not shown). The inner end of this duct communicates with a second duct 32 in which is positioned a valve seat 33 havinga central opening-which constitutes a suction port through which air from the float chamber is sucked to create a negative pressure or partial vacuum [with in thefioat chamber when the vacuum tank is connected to the intake manifold ofthe engine, as Wlll be understood' The cover,16 is provided with a suitable opening Set, the wall of which. is screw threaded to recelve a plug 35 having a .duct

36. The second plug 37 is threaded inv the first plug and. is constructed to receive and support a vent pipe 3:8, the latter connnuuieating at its inner end with the duct 36 an d the inner end ofthe duct being constructed to provide a port, which will be'hereinaitter referred to as an air port. It is important to note that the ports 33 and 36 are disposed one above the other or oppositely in order to accommodate therebetweenand per mit the desired operation of a stem 39. The opposite ends of this stern are constructed to provide asuction valve 40 and an air valve 41 for the respective ports '33 and At the inner ends of the valves the stem is provided w th annular flanges 42 and adapted to be engaged by a lever 44 for moving the stem to open or close either 01 valve 40 to closed position and the air valve 41 to open position. In the other extreme position, the lever engages the flange 43 to move the air valve '41 to closed position and the suction valve to open position. In view of the spacing of the flanges 42 and 43, it will be understood that the stem'is actuated during the latter part of the movement of the lever in either direction, the major movement of thelever "being what may be termed los't'motion, but intentional, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Fulcrumed at one end on the lever 44 is a second lever 47 adapted to be moved to either of the two extreme positions by a float 48 in the chamber 18, the float 'beingoperatively connectedto the other end ofthe lever througha rod 49. In order to permit the lever 47 to move to its upper extreme position, a portion thereof is bent in the form of a U,"as indicated at 47 in order to clear the pivot pin 45.

A flat arctuate spring 50- is loosely mounted-at one end on a pm 51 extended into the cover 16 and provided with a screw head 52 "for retaining the pin in proper position. The opposite end or the spring is connected to the lever 47 at a point between the ends of the latter and through the medium of a pin 53. The lever 47 is preferably of U form in order to provide the desired strength and to facilitate its connection with, the other lever and float rod. y

The lower side of the float 48 is provided with the .usual depending stem 54 which may be a continuation of the rod 49 and whichis' movable through an opening 55 in the bottom of the receptacle, in order to properly guide the float initsvertieai movements This opening '55 is in co1nm=unica 131011 with a chamber 56 normally closed by a plug :57. A second plug 58 is threadedly fitted in the bottom of the receptacle, and these two plugs 57 and 58 may constitute drain plugs by which the receptacle can be drained of water and sediment. I

The operation of the vacuum tank is as follows: 'VVith the parts of the apparatus in the position shown Figure 2 and the duct 31 connected to the intake manifold of an engine, the suction valve 40. being in open position permits the exhaustion of air from the chamber 18, causing'gasoline to flow into the chamber through the port 29. As the level oi liquid rises, the lioat 48 moves upwardly, acting through the rod 49to move the lever 47 upwardly to the position shown in Figure 1. During this inovementfthe lever swings about its fulcrumflpoint, the lever 44 remaining stationary until the pivot 53 passes above the pivot 41, when the spring 50 will actthrough the lever 47 to rock the lever 44 to the position shown in Figure 1. Underthis movement ofthe lever 47, the flange 42 is struck by the free end" of the'lever, thus suddenly and rapidly -m-oving thesuction valve-40 to closed position and the air valve 41 to ope-n position. The operation o1 the lever 44 is such as to cause the valve 40 to lirmly seat and thus effective ly close the suction port 33. Conversely, the lever'operates to open the air valve 41*with a force suflicient to overcome any tendency; to stick and in this manner the movement of the valves to open or closed position is rendered positive. 1

l/Vith the suction valve closed and the air valve open, the suction action is discontinued and the float chamber placed in communication with atmosphere to cause gasoline to be discharged from the chamber into the reservoir chamber 19. As gasoline is dispensed from the reservoir in accordance with its consumption by the-carbureter, the

float 48 moves downwardly with the lowering level of the liquid and, through the medium of the rod 49, the lever 47 is drawn spring 50 until the pivot 53 passes by the pivot 45, when the spring will react through the lever 47 to suddenly move the lever 44- to the position shown in Figure 2. In this position of the lever, it engages the flange 43, thereby elevating the stem 39 to suddenly open the suction valve 40 and close the air valve 41. Thus the "float chamber is downwardly against the tension o'lf the c again placed in communication with the intake manifold to permit suction to .act in refilling the float chamber.

It is important to note that in either eX- I termed dead center with respect to the pivot 45 the spring acts reversely to suddenly move the lever 44 to either of its extreme positions. In this manner, initial movement.

of the lever 47 is renderel inefl'ective to actuate the lever 44, resulting in the sudden actuation of the lever to secure the desired positive opening and closing of the suction and air valves.

'Although I have herein shown and described only one form of vacuum tank embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications'inay be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vacuum'tank comprising a receptacle having a float chamber and a laterally disposed reservoir chamber, a port providing communication between the two chambers, a flapper valve controlling the port, a tubular and laterally disposed extension on the receptacle having a transverse opening adapted to receive the depending extension of a carbureter, a float in the float chamber, a cover for the receptacle having a fuel port, an air port and a suction port, a rod for the float, a lever mounted on the cover, a second lever fulcrumed on the first lever and connected to the float rod, a fiat spring connected to the second lever'at a point between its connections with the first lever and float rod, a stem having on one end a suction valve for the suction port and on the other end an air valve for the air port, flanges on the stem, and arms on the first lever disposed between the flanges to engage one or the other in moving the stem to actuate the valves.

2. In a vacuum tank, oppositely disposed suction and. air ports, valves therefor, a'

stem common to the valves and movable to open or close one valve or the other according as the stem is moved in one direction or the other, and float operated mechanism for actuating the stem comprising a pair of levers, one fulcrumed on the other and adapted for connection to the rod of a float,

the other fulcrumed on a fixed axis eccen-' -or the other, and float operated mechanism for actuating the stem comprising a lever operatively connected to the stem and -fulcrumed between its ends to occupy either of two extreme positions in which the stem is engaged by one end of the lever and moved in one direction or the other, a second lever tulcrumed at one end on the other end of the first lever, the other end of-the second lever adapted for connection to a float rod for movement thereby to either of two extreme positions, and a spring mounted and connected to the second lever between the ends of the latter to urge the secondlevervto either extreme position and in such manner that as the second lever passes beyond a medial position when moving in either direction it will effect a succeeding and rapidmovement of the first lever from one extreme position to the other.

4. In a vacuum tank, oppositely disposed suction and air ports, valves therefor, a stem common to the valves and movable to open or close one valve or the other according as the stem is moved in one direction or the other, and float operated mechanism for actuating the stem comprising a lever operatively connected to the stem to occup either of two extreme positions in which the stem is moved in one direction or the other, a second lever fulcrumed on and at 5/ In a vacuumtank, a suction valve, an

air valve, a stem common to the two valves, and by movement of which one valve is opened while the other is closed, and means for actuating the stem comprising a pair of levers, one of which is operatively associated with the stem and is fulcrumed about a fixed axis and the other fulcrumed on the first mentioned lever at a point eccentric with respect, to the fulcrum ofthe latter andadapted foroperative connection to the rod of a float, and a resilient meanscene gaging the last mentioned lever for the purpose described. a

6. The combination as embodied in claim 5, wherein said resilient means comprises a flat spring flexed into curved form and fixed against movement at one end, while its other end is connected to the last men tioned lever. a

' ELMER G. BURNS;

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